More than a century has passed since Mr. Taft founded our school. While the world and the school have changed dramatically, his fundamental values endure: work hard, without regard for public acclaim; develop all your talents: academic, artistic, and athletic; and most importantly, give of yourself to others.

“Our Admissions Committee seeks prospective students who will, in equal measure, embrace all that it means to be a Taft student—the rigors, the fun, the commitments, and the rewards."Peter Frew '75, Director of Admission

More than a century has passed since Mr. Taft founded our school. While the world and the school have changed dramatically, his fundamental values endure: work hard, without regard for public acclaim; develop all your talents: academic, artistic, and athletic; and most importantly, give of yourself to others.

“Our Admissions Committee seeks prospective students who will, in equal measure, embrace all that it means to be a Taft student—the rigors, the fun, the commitments, and the rewards."Peter Frew '75, Director of Admission

Spiritual Life

Spiritual Life

Hero Treatment

Sacred Text Collection

Taft celebrates the wisdom bequeathed to us from great cultures and civilizations through our Sacred Text Collection, on display in the Hulbert Taft, Jr. Library, which includes:

A 19th century Torah purchased with the assistance of Rabbi Eric Polokoff and the generous support of Mr. Edgar Bronfman, said to have been brought to the Sephardic community of Tashkent (Uzbekistan) by European Jews fleeing the Nazis

A replica of one of the earliest mandalas in the Buddhist tradition, presented to Taft by Tibetan monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery, Karnataka, India

An original King James Bible, printed in the early 1600s

An exquisitely calligraphed, 19th century, pocket-sized copy of the Qu’ran, which likely made many pilgrimages to Mecca inspiring the faithful. We are grateful to U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Ford Fraker, for this remarkable gift.

If you would like to offer a sacred gift to The Taft School that represents deep meaning and value in your religious/cultural tradition please speak to the chaplain.

Education is both an intellectual and a spiritual endeavor at Taft. We believe that a sound, broad-based liberal arts education has, at its core, the quest for meaning and purpose. We believe that educating the whole person encourages and challenges us to take seriously the values and moral codes that we have inherited through our many diverse cultural and religious traditions.

Our students bring a wide range of religions and philosophical views to Taft. We celebrate and respect all expressions of faith, and look for common moral, ethical, and spiritual ground, as we covenant with one another to pursue Truth through religion, science, art, music, athletics, and in every other human inquiry.

The school provides many opportunities on campus—both formal and informal—to nurture spiritual life. Among them:

The offerings of the Global Service and Scholarship Department, which promote spiritual, moral, and ethical discourse among students;

Morning Meeting in Bingham Auditorium, a time for reflection by students, faculty, the headmaster, chaplain, or outside speakers;

The Paduano Lecture Series featuring distinguished speakers in the field of philosophy and ethics;

Meditation in the Taft Living Room, a warm setting to come together in a mindful way and exchange spiritual ideas and values in a friendly and inclusive atmosphere.

Our goal is help each student find spiritual strength and community support through our religious and spiritual programs. As chaplain, I bring an understanding and celebration of the world’s various religious faiths to the Taft community.